Goodbyes Aren't Forever
by Naomi S. Goldson
Summary: He had tried to keep her away from the fight. "Goodbyes aren't forever," she whispered. "I'll see you later." Oneshot; Entry for Goodbye Competition; Remus/Tonks


Remus ran across the grounds of Hogwarts, his battered wand clutched tightly in his hand as he dodged curses and threw some of his own. He had lost track of Tonks nearly an hour previous and was beginning to get worried. She had promised to return minutes later, and Tonks wasn't one to break her promises.

He had tried to keep her away from the fight. She had only just had Teddy and wasn't entirely back to her usual energized self. "She should have stayed home," he muttered to himself, praying that his twisted gut was giving him the wrong idea about where his wife was. He slowed his pace slightly, thinking back to earlier.

_"You really shouldn't go," Remus said desperately. "Please, stay here."_

_ "I'll do no such thing," Tonks snapped. "I am a perfectly capable member of the Order and an Auror to boot. I can take care of myself. I'm not pregnant anymore, so there really is no reason for me to stay at home, sitting in a rocking chair and shaking like an old lady waiting for someone who's never going to come back!"_

_ "I want you to be safe," Remus said. "You and Teddy. He's not even a month old, and if we go and –"_

_ "We won't," Tonks said firmly. "We won't die, Remus. It's simple as that."_

_ "You can't make a promise like that," Remus said. "You may not be able to keep it. If you stay here, though –"_

_ "I won't stay here!" Tonks exclaimed. "I'm going to go and fight, make those Death Eaters wish they'd never been born, and then you and I will come home to Teddy."_

Remus took a steadying breath, calming his nerves. He had to keep a cool head. If he didn't, there was no chance of him returning home. He rushed forward once more, but was almost immediately sent flying sideways by someone ramming into his side. He landed on someone's leg rather painfully, and looked to where he had been a moment previous to see several jets of green light flying by – the color only produced by a killing curse.

"Thanks," he said to Kingsley, who only nodded and hurried off in pursuit of one of the nearby Death Eaters. Remus glanced up at the person he had landed on and saw young Colin Creevey, who he had taught four years previous. He looked frightened, though he was completely still. He was dead, Remus thought, feeling a pang of guilt. The boy was far too young to be dead – it wasn't fair.

It was too late to save Colin. Remus stood up, knowing that if he didn't hurry, it could already be too late for Tonks. He hurried forward, until a bright flash of color on his left caught his eye. He pivoted and scanned the area, finally finding the source lying motionless on the grass some ten feet off. Fear coursed through him as he stumbled forward, dropping to his knees beside Tonks.

Her eyes were open, glassy and glazed over in a way that only appeared in one condition. Unlike Colin, there wasn't a trace of fear in her beautiful young face. Rather, he saw only peace; acceptance of this fate.

_ "We're going to be okay, Remus," Tonks said, cradling baby Teddy in her arms. "We'll see him again." She held their child out for him to hold and he took him, holding the infant close to him._

_ "I can't say goodbye," Remus said, closing his eyes._

_ "Goodbyes aren't forever," Tonks said quietly._

_ "Some are," Remus said, "and saying goodbye feels final."_

_ "Then say '__á__ plus tard' instead," Tonks said, smiling feebly. Remus gave her a funny look and she laughed quietly. "See you later. I've spent too much time with Fleur recently. It's awful, I tell you."_

_ "See you later," Remus said, kissing Teddy's forehead gently then placing him in his crib._

But she wouldn't see him later. She was gone. She had left, despite her promise to see them later. He grasped her cool, painfully still hand in his own, tears slipping from his eyes and down his cheeks as he looked at her hand, somehow unable to look away.

_"I'll see you after the battle," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his lips before running off down a corridor._

Anger boiled inside him. Anger that they had killed her. Anger that they had taken her life away from her – she, who was so young and full of life. Anger that she had left him here. She had lied to him – she wouldn't see him after the battle, because she had left. He was alone.

He tore his eyes away from her hand and looked back at her face. His rage increased momentarily, but then slowly faded. She wasn't happy to die; she had merely known there wasn't something she could do in that moment and that if she was to die, this would be the best way. She died fighting for her friends, for her family, for him. For her sake, he had to get up and keep fighting. "Goodbyes aren't forever," Remus murmured as he placed one final kiss on her lips. "I'll see you later." Then he stood up, walking back into the fray.

**A/N: I hope it's okay. It's for the Goodbye Competition, pairing (obviously) is Remus/Tonks. I love them as a couple and have never written them before… until now… and I hope I did them justice. This was what popped into my head when I thought of them having to say goodbye to each other, and I hope it's alright. **

**Review with critiques/comments please? :)**

**-Naomi**


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